Stories from Thursday, September 15, 2011

Recent reports from the Blytheville Police Department:

Mr. Kenny Lee, 68, of Manila, passed from this life Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2011, at the Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center in Kennett, Mo.

Inmates from the Mississippi County Sheriff's Department spent time Wednesday morning cleaning up the grounds around the County Courthouse in Blytheville.

Volunteers from the Blytheville Police Department and the Senior Citizens Center recently read to students at the Blytheville Kindergarten Center in honor of Sept. 11, which was also Grandparents Day.

Payton Jane Narx, 1, of Bentonville, is pictured reading the Blytheville Courier News at her home in Bentonville. She is the daughter of Michael Narx, formerly of Blytheville, and Melissa Narx of Bentonville. She is the granddaughter of Susan and Doug McCormick of Blytheville, Ronnie and Nancy Narx of Rodgers and Shelia and Charlie Moyers of Rodgers. She is also the great-granddaughter of Juanita Goff of Blytheville and Deloria Narx Gray of Rodgers, and the niece of Steven Narx of Blytheville...

Jennifer Pharo and Nathan Hay, both of Blytheville, announce their engagement and plans for a Nov. 11 wedding at Immaculate Conception Church of Blytheville.

I was astonished when I heard Rev. Franklin Graham say, on National TV, that President Obama was a Muslim and not a Christian. This is Rev. Graham's Christian perception of Obama. He said Obama's father was a Muslim and the seed is passed from the father. ...

Folks of all walks of life labored together for one goal: A Cleaner, Safer Blytheville. Hundreds -- young, old, black, white, rich, poor -- spent nearly four hours Saturday cleaning up six city blocks on the West End.

Demolition has already begun on several buildings on East Ash in preparation for the Highway 18 realignment and overpass project.

Plans are currently under way for the city of Gosnell's 20th Annual Cotton Festival, which will take place Oct. 6-8.

Consumers are going to be getting a few extra hours Thursday to shop at their favorite stores in downtown Blytheville.

The Gosnell Pirates will try for their second victory in a row against county rival Rivercrest Friday night at J.W. Rea Field. The Colts are the defending 3-3A conference and 3A state champs and haven't lost a game since a 42-28 loss to Prescott in the 3A semifinals in 2009. ...

Blytheville enters Friday's home-opener with Helena-West Helena Central banged up. Chickasaw head coach Maurice Moody's primary objective is to avoid further injuries as his club wraps up non-conference play. "We've got five or six guys kind of banged up a bit," Moody said. ...

Traffic was blocked on Ash Street Thursday afternoon when an 18-wheeler struck a car in the lane to its left, forcing the vehicle off of the roadway.

Already incarcerated on a homicide charge, 24-year-old Tyrone McGee Jr. of Little Rock now faces charges of rape and possession of firearm by certain persons.

Recent reports from the Blytheville Police Department: